I just got that one myself. That is rather ridiculous. My guess is that the advertiser put their horz banner in the vert banner category, and it is shrinking it to fit. Maybe people will click it out of curiosity.

I have enough of a problem with this ad that divides the first listed server, but one that's a giant DOWNLOAD button is completely unacceptable. If you're that desperate for clicks, then just track who clicks ads and offer "free" rewards. I would, however, like to point out that that's how the hub SHOULD look. Not a bunch of tiny plain text links that we hope users can find and identify as important.

I have enough of a problem with this ad that divides the first listed server, but one that's a giant DOWNLOAD button is completely unacceptable. If you're that desperate for clicks, then just track who clicks ads and offer "free" rewards. I would, however, like to point out that that's how the hub SHOULD look. Not a bunch of tiny plain text links that we hope users can find and identify as important.

We don't have any control over the individual ads since those are just delivered to us, but if you let us know what the url is we can block them after the fact.

Thanks. It is blocked now (might take a while to take effect). Maybe we need a "report" button. We're considering changes to the hub ad layout. I hate ads, but we really need the income from them right now and that hub one does very well for us.

I don't really have a problem with the ads. Unless they're attempting to scam players from joining a game to instead download some toolbar which is most likely a virus. On occasion, they actually show something worth checking out.
The only real problem I have with that one that divides the first listed server, is that all of the other servers don't follow the split format afterward. Which makes it look a bit uneven, and difficult to design a world.status that goes well with both layouts.

I don't really have a problem with the ads. Unless they're attempting to scam players from joining a game to instead download some toolbar which is most likely a virus. On occasion, they actually show something worth checking out.
The only real problem I have with that one that divides the first listed server, is that all of the other servers don't follow the split format afterward. Which makes it look a bit uneven, and difficult to design a world.status that goes well with both layouts.

Yeah, I agree that it's pretty obtrusive, but that's probably why it gets more hits. I don't like being in the business of "accidental" clicks though. In our new layout we have more ads placed off to the side and if that can give us a similar return, we can lose this one. I would like to just lose the ads completely because I don't think driving traffic away from the site is good for any business, but until membership frequency or traffic picks up, we're kind of stuck with them.

You should try spending the money on advertising in more popular websites like Serebii.net and then charge more for those other ads to pay for it I actually only heard about BYOND from a friend, never saw an ad for it. or start bumping up the cost until they stop wanting it and put a banner ad on the pager that changes and they can pay for time that its up. id be ok with a small banner (250x60) on the pager all the time rather than that large fat block of nonsense distorting the web page.

Actually the pager ad would be worth at least a little more because people use the pagers a lot more than they go to Play Now pages.

Once the flash client is available, all of this will probably be irrelevant anyway. Developers will have their games posted on their own websites, and/or flash related websites, and most players will never even know that BYOND exists. Or so we hope

I have enough of a problem with this ad that divides the first listed server, but one that's a giant DOWNLOAD button is completely unacceptable. If you're that desperate for clicks, then just track who clicks ads and offer "free" rewards. I would, however, like to point out that that's how the hub SHOULD look. Not a bunch of tiny plain text links that we hope users can find and identify as important.

According to the terms of Google AdSense, you are not allowed to provide incentives for clicks to the ads whatsoever, and I'm sure you can see why this is. As well, BYOND doesn't control what comes in nor does any other site until after the fact - like Tom mentioned, blocking specific ads from coming in.

... and most players will never even know that BYOND exists. Or so we hope

Why wouldn't you want BYOND to be known? Even with a Flash client, I hope BYOND still circulates greatly - I think BYOND is actually crucial to the success of my personal programming career, and would want other's to find it as a useful resources, as well as find a general hub to find other fun games.

Thanks. It is blocked now (might take a while to take effect). Maybe we need a "report" button. We're considering changes to the hub ad layout. I hate ads, but we really need the income from them right now and that hub one does very well for us.

Ads are fine to me as long as they are unintrusive, and they are currently.

I don't expect byond to give me everything for free. Not like the community is owed anything from byond.

Because vast majority of the content on this website is horrid, and the few bits and pieces of it that aren't brain meltingly bad are poorly displayed. Bringing in new players, so they can see the infinite copies of the same rips, none of which are good in any way shape or form to begin with, spamming up every aspect of the website. Horrible layouts to almost every page, anime color schemes, and a community made up of 12 year olds with the combined morality of a serial rapist, and total intelligence of a common house plant. Not to mention having to create a BYOND account and download the software to use Dream Seeker is just a hassle in itself. The few good games that do exist should actually be able to flourish with a flash client, without the toxic waste dump that is BYOND surrounding them.
Once the flash client exists, this website should turn into nothing but a developers resource. If they still want to advertise hubs, then they should be required to have the flash client of the game running on them. Once the flash client is fully realized, the Pager and Dream Seeker should be intentionally killed off.

I've already learned it, so its quick and easy to use. I have unfinished projects, which I plan on finishing before devoting all of my time to Unity. Even though its not much, its my only source of income, though that probably wouldn't change much if I quit. I'm also interested in seeing how the flash client turns out, though that's a new revelation. Plus, somebody needs to make some decent games around here, and smack some sense into the admins, nobody else is doing it =P